Into the Weekend

From Carissa

I find that with neutral, classic pieces it is easy to inject new looks by adding a fun scarf or statement earrings. However, I’m not the kind of shopper that immediately shells out to buy the newest trends. Bethany and Amanda of @whoawaitwalmart find the cutest stuff at very affordable prices. Makes me want to take a trip to Walmart for more than just laundry soap and cleaning supplies.

There’s just something about European homes that have a lived-in, casual feel, as if the owners have collected various items over the years to give their spaces personality. Maybe it’s also that their spaces tend to be smaller in square footage and they make use of every space – no unused home gyms or theater rooms in that part of the world! In the Urban Jungle Bloggers monthly series, a group of bloggers from different (mostly European) countries post about living with plants. This month they wrote about using their indoor plants as table settings. Loving that idea, because although I love fresh flowers in a clear vase, a potted plant that lasts for months (even years if I ever grow a green thumb), is sometimes more appealing.

I’m what some would call a type A personality—concerned with organization, time management, and getting everything “just right”. I remember being younger and spending hours arranging the dollhouse furniture, only to move on to something else when my sister was ready to start playing and making up stories. In my mind, the “arranging” was my play. This article talks about not worrying so much if you are doing something right, or doing it well, instead be like a child that does things because they enjoy it.

From Melissa

Late last year, I read that Julia Child’s home in France, La Pitchoune, was up for sale. Everyone who knows me well knows that I love Julia Child, and if I had a few million dollars lying around (because, who wouldn’t?) I would have bought “La Peetch” in a second. Well, it turns out that Julia’s former French retreat has been turned into a cooking school that you can also rent on Airbnb. So, for about $600 a night, you can live like Julia and yell “Bon appetit!” at every meal and explore the surrounding Provencal countryside.

And while you’re planning your stay in France, Travel and Leisure has the best times to go to other places in Europe. I’m still wishing to go to Prague, Dubrovnik, or Lisbon. Of course, many places are cheapest in August because that’s when everyone’s on vacation and many shops and restaurants are closed, so be aware of that when booking.

If, like me, a European vacation is just a dream for now, you can always travel around the United States, even from the comfort of your own home. If scent is a powerful carrier of memory and emotion, these scents by Nomaterra should evoke the places they’re named for. Founded by a husband-and-wife team in New York, and bottle all of their products by hand. I love the packaging and the imagery they have for each scent. You can even take their scent quiz to find out which is right for you. As I expected, I got the Cape Cod “Wild Beach Rose”, which has everything I like blended together: citrus, sea salt, lavender, and wild flowers. Since I’m shopping for a new scent, I just might try their sampler to see if their quiz got it right.